10/29/2018- In just over a week, voters will decide between the incumbent Republican Representative John Nygren and his challenger Ken Holdorf for the Wisconsin State Assembly 89th District seat. Nygren has served as State Representative since 2006 and is widely credited for the statewide crackdown on opioid abuse and reform of the way these medications are prescribed. He deems the most recent legislative session as one of his most successful after helping to address a decades-long school funding problem and says, if re-elected, he’ll next turn his focus toward transportation funding, Medicaid, and supporting a skilled workforce.
One of the most divisive issues in the region now is metallic sulfide mining. Nygren says while he’s not necessarily a proponent of the Back 40 Mine, Wisconsin currently doesn’t have much of a say in whether or not it goes into operation.
More than 40-million dollars in state funding has been given to the Public Service Commission to improve broadband access in Wisconsin, but Nygren says there needs to be more oversight of how that money is being used.
Nygren is a longtime Marinette resident and says that experience gives him an edge over his challenger. Nygren and Holdorf will face off in the election on November 6th.
This is a two-part story by Bay Cities Radio. Tune in tomorrow for a full feature on Democratic candidate Ken Holdorf.